Itsuki was feeling excited riding on the back of Kousuke's motorcycle, she had never done this before it was a first in her life. Just the feeling of the wind blowing her hair, or the rush of the ride was different than just sitting in a car. She would later lean in more to wrap her arms tighter around Kousuke's waist when she felt like she would fall off the bike. It didn't bother Kousuke because in his mind she was trying to be safe, with no hidden motive behind it.
Itsuki was surprised that the drive to his home was long, a lot further than her house was. Even with the long ride she was enjoying the feeling of just being there with him. It made her nostalgic as there weren't this close since their school days when they sat on the bus together for the field trips.
As the ride continued, Itsuki began to flashback to the days leading up to her first encounter with Kousuke at their grade school. Looking back at it now, she remembered how they became friends with their opposite lifestyles and personalities. It was a puzzlement in the beginning, but not now she was just grateful for the experience of meeting each other.
As long as she could remember since her birth, Itsuki's family was different from most of the others in the Five Family dynamic. Unlike the other four, her parents were not snobby, elitist, or money-driven, they had no qualities of that nature. They in fact hated the way the others acted when she was younger, the way they looked down on those who were not the same lifestyle as them or from wealthy households. Fortunately in the present time now, the Mizuno family changed thanks to the new head, and even the Kensei family was making an effort to be better people than they once were. The Yagami family was always in between depending on the current head, Hiro and his Mother was good people and tried their best. The Kurogane family were not good but they at least had some principles about them that kept them on the edge of being good, though they would show no mercy to those that wronged them. Just the Sasaki house which remained the same even after the years passed never tried to change, even the eldest daughter of them left because of how much they fell in their own greed.
Itsuki remembered the first time in her life when she was still small when Ayaka slapped her hand when she refused to give her food to a homeless person on the streets.
It seemed pointless to Itsuki during the time since the homeless person would die eventually from disease and starvation like it would be a wasted effort to help, she didn't understand why it would make a difference in that second, or why her Birth Mother was so angry with.
Back at her home Ayaka was reading her a fairytale book before bedtime as usual. Itsuki never admitted to anyone except to her parents and later to Kousuke but she loved fairytale stories. It didn't matter if it was romance, adventure, or dark fantasy tales, reading or hearing them always made her feel happy. The captivating stories of gallant heroes, mythical creatures, or triumphant love conquering evil, she loved them all. It gave her an escape to another world from the one she could barely understand during her childhood.
Ayaka was finishing a copy of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, the irony of how much Itsuki would be compared to her later, when Itsuki asked her a question that had been gnawing at her mind for a while now.
"Okaa-Sama, why did you slap my hand earlier?" Itsuki finally asked.
Ayaka stopped reading to see her daughter's confused look. That was the first time she ever interrupted her during a story. She could tell Itsuki wanted to know what she did wrong, even a child had such wisdom in them.
"Why you ask?"
Itsuki nodded after being asked.
"Hmm, well because you wouldn't help someone who needed it. You're young so you may not understand it well. But nothing is more sinful than ignoring someone who needs help when you have the ability to save them. Its what separates us from those who use others as tools."
Itsuki didn't understand it well. She never saw anyone in the other families, including the kids be nice to someone who wasn't in their league. They always treated them like a nuisance or another hand in their workforce to use. To her at the time it was normal to treat others in the same manner, nothing new in their daily lives.
"I don't get it Okaa-Sama. Won't that person die anyway being homeless, it's not our fault or duty to help them if they made their lives that way? Why should I give up my food if it won't change anything or their fate, I don't want to starve either if it doesn't change the outcome." Itsuki's answer was harsh but their was some logic behind her words and feelings.
Ayaka was shaken by how stern Itsuki's answer sounded, her face filled with concern for her child's good nature being tainted by the nativity she was surrounded by. She closed the book and sat it on the nightstand next to her. She didn't yell or scold Itsuki, instead, she rubbed Itsuki's hair with a gentle smile then held her little hands with the tenderness all Mother's have.
"Sweetie, even if it seemed hopeless at that time, it's better to show some kindness so that person didn't die in the pain they were in, feeling despair in their hearts. Do you know why we're so different from the other families, why we don't look down on poverty stricken and try and to help as best as we can? When magic first formed before the humans evolved into the Espers, when understanding levels and skills were a new splendor to us, there were more families like ours during that era. However, their arrogance and selfishness brought about their downfall, and the people they discriminated against rose up to take their vengeance on them, committing their own personal justice against their oppressors. Over time it got worse, with wealth and power, people began to show their true colors and how cruel they could be because it was just easier to be heartless than being a good person."
Itsuki was intrigued hearing this. It was like listening to her stories, she could her Mother's tone and how important this tale was for her to hear.
"I know you hesrd in your lesson but during World War II when everyone went fighting and died in that global massacre do you remember what happened to Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the war?"
"Didn't big bombs blow them up, Okaa-Sama? I remember in class how they said man made weapons did that not magic or skills."
"Yes, that was a tragedy that should never be repeated no matter how much it would tip the scales in war. But that wasn't the worst to happen, it was after the war ended that the suffering began and it was by a former Great Family. In the time when all should have been healing and working together, this family profited from the misery of the survivors and their desperation. They made the survivors and those in complete desperation work in labor camps so they could feed their children even when It was just soup and bread. They stole land with underhanded tactics, used their connections to make drugs that caused severe addictions so people would stay under their control to work more till they died from exhaustion."
Itsuki's emotions ran high. She never heard a story like this before, it was more dark and sad than in her books. Let alone a story that was one being a part of the history of her country. It made her feel horrified to those these dark secrets.
"One day when enough was enough, you're Great Great Grandmother and Grandfather found out what they did after investigating slll their misdeeds. Enraged, they ordered for the family's social execution and ruin of thier entire reputation, they took all their wealth away snd the ones they stole, giving it back to the people they hurt, banishing the family from the Great hierarchy. From that day they vowed to set the example so no one would ever let money or upper-class nobility ruin lives others again and for us to be better as human beings in this world. Even after the Ghast virus came and all the terrorists and monsters with it, our family never changed. Sweetie what I'm saying is, even if it's easy to hurt someone or just ignore them cause they're not like us or even if you don't care at sll, it'll never make it ok. You must always treat someone with kindness even if you don't want to. Because there will always be someone who'll show you that there can be kindness even if it's from a not so noble person."
Ayaka looked hard at Itsuki finishing her speech, she was hoping the words got through to Itsuki's heart. Itsuki was young, she didn't know how to process what the story was supposed to mean at first but she would try to for her Mother's sake.
It was difficult for her to live by those words after hearing them. After telling her the story Ayaka had enrolled Itsuki in public school to help her see how other kids lived. Itsuki hated it at first when she arrived, she was teased a lot almost every day. Kids bullied her for being rich, it was common for those jealous of others having advantages they wished that had. They would tease her relentlessly, play terrible pranks, such as in one instance burn her shoes just for the fun of it.
It came to the point where she didn't believe in the words her Mother said. Itsuki wanted to be like those elitists and just look down on the kids and get payback on them. Make them suffer like was, till the day came, when one changed her hopeless outlook.
It started like any other day at the school, the change being the teacher made an announcement for the classroom for a new arrival.
"Class today we have a new student entering. I hope you can all get along with each other during your time here. Please come and introduce yourself."
Itsuki and the class looked at the door. There she saw him, a kid her age, emanating a strong aura, and smug smile. He stood in front of the teacher, his young face portraying an attitude with it.
"Hello everyone, my name is Hayashi Kousuke. Nice to meet you all. Oh, also I'm a Prime Caliber."
The class was silent for a second till it uproared in bewilderment. Even Itsuki thought he was lying to look good on day one, being born a Prime Caliber was a one-in-a-million shot. The teacher confirmed it was true, the information was disclosed during his registration.
The students in class at first wanted to befriend him, suck up to Kousuke and get on his good side. But Kousuke didn't exactly start off as friendly or wanted anything to do with them, he was rude to those that tried to suck up to him, he insulted them when they tried showing off their educational skills, and at one point he called them monkeys when he outshined them in perfect scores.
Everyone changed their minds and wanted to bully him now because of how pompous he was, the problem they had was he was smarter than them. The last life of bullying let him catch on to early signs of pranks, he even took revenge by playing harsher ones on them. Taking it a step further by getting some students expelled with his schemes.
Itsuki wondered why he was such a prick to everyone. He never really talked to students in social gatherings or free period, he ate alone in the school, and whenever school ended he was always in a hurry to go home and get away from everyone, like he hated being near crowds.
Itsuki at one point caught up to him when he was rigging a kid's locker with a glitter bomb after said kid tried to steal Kousuke's bento box. Itsuki wanted to tell him off for his little scheme, she couldn't how he was acting in the same way she was being treated.
"Just what is your problem?" She yelled at him.
"Hmm."
"Why do you treat everyone so badly? What did they ever do to you? You're a jerk!"
Kousuke groaned at Itsuki's tantrum, he hated seeing kids that act like spoiled brats. However, he understood what she was conveying in her words. He recognized the pain of being bullied as well, he couldn't just not answer her after having a similar feeling.
"Look, I'm not here to make friends. I like being alone, I'm only here because I have to be. And why do I do this, those little monkeys don't have to listen to me or take my insults they could choose to just ignore me and not care. They're the ones who struck first with their antics and sycophant attitudes when I got here. Yea I'm cocky but I got a right to be. I'm just finishing this nonsense off so they'll leave me alone." He tried to justify, even with his explanation it was still selfish on his part and no remorse in his tone.
"You started it with that attitude, yea you're a Prime Caliber but that doesnt mean you have to show off and treat people horribly just cause you feel like you're entitled to it. You have as much responsibility in your actions too as they have." Itsuki was holding back her frustration yelling at him. She made a clear point and was only telling the truth on he was treating others.
"Oh please, if everything is started by someone having a bad attitude, then the world would have been blown up already. Nobody has to take what I say at all, that's their choice. If I was them I would just ignore me and get on with my life. Nothing gets gained by throwing a fit just cause you're a kid."
Kousuke didn't go through with rigging the locker anymore, he changed his mind from arguing with Itsuki. It was hard to admit, but he was going too far with his retaliation and treatment to the kids. Itsuki was right and that he was being to arrogant, more than he was before when he was top of class.
He took off to leave with Itsuki still pouting at him in disgust at his logic of handling how he interacted with others. Hearing her words made him really reconsider what he was doing wrong and that maybe if he toned it down on his personality a bit, he wouldn't repeat his last mistakes.
After their pow out when school ended she went to give him a piece of her mind when she couldn't take it anymore with holding all her feelings in. Itsuki couldn't let Kousuke carry on like there were no repercussions to his actions.
She went to find him ready to belt him one in the head, looking all around the spots she recognized him hiding when he wanted to be left alone. She looked till she saw the sight that changed her mind about him.
The kids in school who bullied Itsuki started picking on her little sister, after she had left the car by herself to find Itsuki and walk her back. Since Kousuke was too smart for the bullies they went back to making Itsuki their target, unfortunately, they targeted Kaede to step up their game. Itsuki was furious, she couldn't believe how low they would stoop this time. An icy wind blew beneath her feet from her rage.
Itsuki ran to get outside and defend Kaede, trying to avoid falling over her feet or letting herself become too emotional since high emotions or unstable ones could cause magic backfire. During her mad rush, she saw Kousuke walk up behind one of the students and slapped them hard enough to knock them to the ground, he had hit the point where he had enough of the display of idiocy happening.
The students panicked, and the one Kousuke slapped tried playing the victim.
"How dare you, I'm a girl. You can't hit me!"
"Oh whatever, for one I'm an equal opportunity punisher, and second you're playing wounded deer when you guys were ganging up on a little girl younger than you. You disgust me! Piss off!!!"
The students saw the hate in his eyes staring at them. Kousuke may have been acting in his power since rebirth, but even he would never stoop so low as to bully a kid Kaede's age, pulling a prank or back talk may be as far as he would take with the kids his physical age, but not bullying a little child who couldn't defend herself.
The students left frightened running to their parents crying. It was the start of the mean looks and gossip for Kousuke amongst the parental community, but he didn't care. He was happy helping Kaede, that was enough for him even if it meant a blow to his reputation. Kousuke walked up to the crying Kaede, he started soothing her by actually being nice, he just wanted to do something good for someone for once in his second life.
"It's ok little one don't cry. Bad people are gone now. Yoshi Yoshi(Alright, Alright)." He patted on the top of the head stopping her crying as she looked at him calmed down with a smiling trying to form.
Itsuki saw everything, she looked so out of place at what she just witnessed. The words her Mother said, were true after all. Kousuke was a jerk, he was rude, and he was just like the people her Mother described, yet he did something kind not expecting anything in return, of all the thing she pulled he went out of his way to save Kaede and he didn't even know who she was. She was teary-eyed at the sight, she had to thank him for what he did so she continued to get outside without the cold aura around her.
Kaede saw Itsuki coming outside, she ran to her sister hugging her tight. Kousuke tried walking off to the pick up spot for Mana to get him till Itsuki called him out.
"Hey, umm, why did you help her? I don't get it there was nothing in it for you. Why now all the sudden you decided to be a good person, I don't understand you."
Kousuke stopped walking, he didn't realize it was Itsuki's sister he helped. She called him out earlier on his character which irritated him, he owed it to her, however, to be honest. It was the first time he felt like a hero in a way, he couldn't help but be a little proud of himself and that he felt like he needed to apologize for the way he talked to her earlier.
"Why, I guess. I guess It's because I couldn't stand to see them hurt her when she couldn't defend herself. I know I'm stronger than those kids but I wouldn't mess with someone younger than me like that. And hey, about what you said earlier. You're right, I did start this in a way, it kinda is my fault for egging them on. I didn't mean for your sister to pay the price for my actions. I'm sorry, I hope you know I mean that. Jiyane(See Ya)."
Itsuki felt it, like an arrow piercing her heart. She was bullied a lot for her status since she arrived, kids messed with her and now attacked her sister, she almost gave up on believing in good people. Yet here a kid who could be just as bad as them chose not to be, bad attitude maybe, but not a bully like the others were Kaede. He even apologized to her honestly which she never heard him say once. Everything he did was genuine kindness behind that cranky heart of his. She couldn't help but cry a bit in feeling better understanding her Mother's words.
"Huh, hey Nee-Chan. Why are you crying?" Itsuki wiped her eyes to give her sister a smile.
"Because, I think I just witnessed a real-life fairytale happen, an unexpected Prince Charming saved a little Princess."
Kaede was confused but smiled hearing her sister call her a Princess. From then on, Itsuki started trying to talk to Kousuke more often, Kousuke slowly started letting her be around him more often, he would still feel uneasy about being near her but it was getting better as time went on. They came along way in their time together, it was really the start of their closeness to one another.
Itsuki finished her flashback feeling warm inside, she looked at Kousuke's back making her to the back of his head, she couldn't believe how long it was ago. She smiled as she began to look at the scenery again during the ride taking in the serenity of it.
'So much has happened since then. He really was a jerk at that time, yet he was sweet too the more seen being near him. Maybe he wasn't the Prince Charming for me like he was to Kaede. I feel like he's more like the monster that would keep you safe and warm even with his scary appearance. Maybe that's what I needed to to see. A good heart in an unexpected place from someone like him. I'm happy I met him, and I'm happy he's back, couldn't ask for more than this right now.'